Inlet valve for flush tanks



y 1962 c. s. EDDOWES 3,036,591

INLET VALVE FOR FLUSH TANKS A 74 48 m 4 30 i 34 36 5 38 42 i 26 a 1% 2a 3 20 Cecil 5. Eddowes ZNVENTOR.

9 BY M405. min 15? m United States Patent 3,036,591 INLET VALVE FOR FLUSH TANKS Cecil S. Eddowes, Lima, Peru, assignor to Guardian S.A., Lima, Peru, a corporation of Peru Filed June 4, 1958, Ser. No. 739,809 1 Claim. (Cl. 137426) This invention relates to inlet valves for flush tanks, and the application is a continuation-in-part of copending application U.S. Serial No. 703,305 now Patent No. 2,949,614. For all of the subject matter common to this application and the referenced copending application the benefit of the early filing date of the parent case is claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide improvements in the inlet or inflow valves of flush tanks making them more smooth, quiet and certain in their operation.

The invention is embodied in inflow valves that are controlled by a float supporting arm operatively connected with the inflow valves and constructed and arranged to admit a quantity of water into the flush tank when demanded by a low level condition in the tank.

Other objects and features will become evident in following the description of the illustrated forms of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a partial elevational and partial sectional view showing a typical flush tank installation having one embodiment of the invention installed therein.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the inflow valve and part of the inflow valve operating mechanism of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a partial elevational and partial sectional view of a modification of the inflow valve and flush tank organization.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged partially elevational and partially sectional view showing the inflow valve of FIG- URE 4 in the closed position.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but showing the inflow valve in the open position.

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 5.

In the accompanying drawings reference is first made to FIGURES 1-3 where there is a flush tank 10 of standard construction. This flush tank has side walls 12, bottom 14 and a lid 16 and exemplifies but one of the several types of conventional flush tanks. The invention is applicable equally to all types of commercially available flush tanks. As in the majority of flush tanks there is a water inlet pipe 18 connected by a sealed fitting 20 to an inlet standpipe 22 in flush tank 10. Valve 24 is attached to the top of the standpipe 22 and includes a housing 26 that has a nipple 28 at its lower end threaded on the upper end of the standpipe 22. Housing 26 has internal threads 30 at the open top thereof within which water conducting bonnet 32 is threaded. Plate 34 is interposed between the lower threaded end of bonnet 32 and a shoulder 36 within the housing 26. Passage 38 is in the plate 34 and a tapered seat 40 is formed as a continuation of passage 38. Valve member 42 at the end of valve stem 44 is movable in the chamber enclosed by housing 26 and is adapted to be seated and unseated from seat 40. Stem 44 is passed through passage 38 and through an aligned passage 46 in the top wall 48 of bonnet 32.

The bonnet has a short conductor 50 by which refill pipe 52 is registered with the interior of the water conducting bonnet. A smaller diameter pipe 56 is attached to conduit 50 and extends to an overflow pipe 58 which operatively connects to an overflow fitting adjacent to the 3,036,591 Patented May 29, 1962 couplings which connect the outflow fitting with the bottom 14 of the flush tank.

Valve stem 44 is actuated by a yoke 66 whose arms straddle lever 70 and whose body has the stem 44 threaded thereinto. Lever 70 has one end mounted on a pivot pin 76 that is located between the upstanding brackets 74 of bonnet 32. The yoke has its sides or arms 68 flanking the lever 70, and pivot pin 76 is passed through the sides of the yoke 66 and through an opening in the lever. A pair of guides 80 are attached to bonnet 32 and are located on opposite sides of lever 70 constraining the travel of the lever. In addition, the body of the yoke being located between brackets 74 and guides 80, is constrained in its travel. Ann 81 is fitted in a socket 82 at the outer end of lever 70, and forms a continuation of the lever. Float 83 of the flush mechanism is on the outer end of arm 81.

The flush operating rod 84 has a number of holes 85 in it to which a chain 86 or some other element is secured. The chain is connected to a flush valve element (unshown) that would coact with an outflow valve seat in the flush tank.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 4-6 inclusive. This embodiment of the invention is very much similar to the previously described embodiment. The flush tank 10a is the same as flush tank 10, while outflow fitting shown in FIGURE 4 can be used as the outflow fitting in FIGURE 1. The water inlet pipe 18a is connected by means of sealed fitting 20a directly to housing 26a of inflow or inlet valve 24a, omitting a standpipe found to be unnecessary. Bonnet 32a is threaded onto the upper part of housing 2611 with bonnet 32a having a top wall 4511 provided with seat 40:: for the valve member 42a that is attached to stem 44a. The valve member is in the cavity enclosed by the valve bonnet with the stern 44a protruding upwardly therefrom through the combination passage and seat 40a. The stem 44a is constrained in its travel by extending through a bushing 102 that is disposed in the top parts 104 of upstanding bracket 106 and through an opening in bracket supported splash apron 107 above wall 45a. The bracket 106 responds in many ways to bracket 74 of FIGURE 2 since it has a pivot 72a in it by which lever 70a is pivoted. Pivot 76a is preferably in the form of a bolt that passes through a slot 110 in the lever between the ends of the lever. The bolt is attached to collar 112, the latter adjustably secured, for instance by the same bolt 76a, to stem 44a. Accordingly, when the lever 70a is raised or lowered by the action of the float 83a and arm 81a attached in socket 82a of lever 70a, the valve member 42a is correspondingly seated or unseated.

There is a valve seat 116 in the lower wall 118 of housing 26a. The seat 116 is registered with a passage for inlet water supplied by inlet pipe 18a and accommodates a valve member 120 which has a stem 122 attached thereto. The valve member is gravity lowered and seated so that it functions as a check valve against back siphonage. Valve members 42a and 120 can each be made of rubber or some other elastomeric substance. Valve member 120 is pressure opened as shown in FIG- URE 6, when the valve member 42a is in the open condition at which water is capable of entering the flush tank through the multiple valves.

One side of bracket 106 can function as a guide for the lever 70a, although this is not essential. To establish a low level position for valve member 42a, stop 126 is secured to bracket 106 and is contacted by lever 70a (FIGURE 6) thereby establishing the lowermost position in the downward travel of arm 81a and float 83a.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 4 the entire inlet or inflow valve for the flush tank can be submersed with the attendant advantage of silence in operation.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

In a flush tank, an infiow valve comprising a housing having a valve chamber therein defining a cavity adapted to receive water under pressure, a bonnet attached to and having therein a recess communicating with said cavity and in registry with the interior of said housing and closing said cavity, a downwardly opening valve member carried by said bonnet and disposed in said valve chamber, a valve seat in said bonnet on which said valve member is adapted to be seated and unseated, a stem attached to said valve member and extending to the exterior of said valve chamber, a bracket attached to said bonnet, a lever, means pivotally attaching said lever to said bracket, means connected with said lever intermediate the ends of said lever and attaching said stem to said lever so that said stem and valve member on said stem are operated in unison with said lever, a float arm connected to said lever thereby operating said lever in a pivotal manner in response to the water level raising and lowering in the flush tank, an anti-siphonage valve in said housing, and a valve seat in said housing on which said anti-siphonage valve is disposed, said anti-siphonage valve being disposed in said valve chamber and being upwardly opening, a stop carried by said bracket and in the path of travel of said lever thereby limiting the movement of said lever in one direction and establishing a stop in the path of travel of the lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 557,902 Sieben Apr. 7, 1896 803,842 Morris et al. Nov. 7, 1905 1,178,396 Hackett Apr. 4, 1916 1,279,468 Smith Sept. 17, 1918 1,311,713 Richardson July 29, 1919 2,271,419 Egan Jan. 27, 1942 2,546,258 Farrell Mar. 27, 1951 2,738,516 Allin Mar. 20, 1956 

